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Beaufort staff recommend $1 monthly water and sewer base increases to close $97,000 shortfall
Summary
After a multi‑month committee review staff reported a reduced utility‑fund shortfall (~$97,000) and recommended a $1/month increase to both the water and sewer base for in‑town customers (a $2 base for customers outside town) as part of the FY27 budget balancing plan.
Town staff and a three‑commissioner utility committee presented a rate‑and‑capital review and proposed modest base increases to balance the FY27 utility budget.
The committee reported increased debt‑service payments (a sewer debt payment of about $224,000 and a water debt payment of about $542,000 were cited) and said its work reduced an initial shortfall estimate from roughly $300,000 to about $97,000 through expenditure reductions and staffing adjustments. To close the remaining gap, staff recommended raising the monthly town base for water by $1 and sewer by $1 (for in‑town customers), with customers outside town to pay a $2 monthly base increase. The committee reported putting one water/sewer position into the staffing plan to handle operational needs tied to USDA projects and ongoing system work.
Commissioners praised the depth of the review and the committee’s efforts to minimize the increase; several noted rate increases had not been adjusted in seven to eight years. The recommendation will be included in the draft FY27 budget and considered during the formal budget process; no final adoption occurred at the April 27 work session.
Staff emphasized that the $1/$1 base‑increase approach was chosen to spread costs equitably and generate roughly the amount needed to balance the FY27 utility budget.
